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M-103A2
gunnytank
Joined: February 24, 2006
KitMaker: 205 posts
Armorama: 200 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 06:48 PM UTC
Does anyone know how I can petition one of the major model companies into making a model of this beast? The only one I know of is a resin kit by Commander model or something lke that.
jcneel
Joined: June 13, 2004
KitMaker: 135 posts
Armorama: 124 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 11:22 PM UTC
Accurate Armour has had one on their list of future items to do an M103A2 for a while now (in resin). I have been waiting for that one very patiently. I doubt that we will ever see one in plastic.
cn
cn
gunnytank
Joined: February 24, 2006
KitMaker: 205 posts
Armorama: 200 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 03:38 AM UTC
I won't give up. I think that Tamiya would jump at this if they knew how much money that they could make, corner the market so to speak. There are still good examples of this tank around. Check Wickpidia the list the places that have these tanks. Besides, they could use parts from their M48 and M60 kits. And it is one BIG MEAN looking beast.
m75
Joined: July 20, 2002
KitMaker: 666 posts
Armorama: 661 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 08:35 AM UTC
Accurate Armour kit # K111 on their website, but is still listed as "coming soon" with no positive release date. They also said that several items are to be disclosed at the upcoming Euro-Militaire in September, so this might be the actual announcement for the M103.
I agree with the earlier reply regarding the limited world appeal for particular subjects. Due to the very high costs involved in creating an injection-molded kit, subjects that have limited (but no less real to you and me) appeal on the world-level will only see the light of day in resin form, if at all. That is why the M561 Gama Goat that is a hole in my 70s collection will remain empty, unless I can find an old Schmidt vacuum-form "kit". It will be very memorable to anyone who experienced one on a 1:1 scale level, but will never generate enough interest to be made into a styrene kit. In other words, I feel your pain, but have to remain realistic about the nature of the hobby.
Some one might say "there's always scratchbuilding". Sure, but that's not an option for me!
I agree with the earlier reply regarding the limited world appeal for particular subjects. Due to the very high costs involved in creating an injection-molded kit, subjects that have limited (but no less real to you and me) appeal on the world-level will only see the light of day in resin form, if at all. That is why the M561 Gama Goat that is a hole in my 70s collection will remain empty, unless I can find an old Schmidt vacuum-form "kit". It will be very memorable to anyone who experienced one on a 1:1 scale level, but will never generate enough interest to be made into a styrene kit. In other words, I feel your pain, but have to remain realistic about the nature of the hobby.
Some one might say "there's always scratchbuilding". Sure, but that's not an option for me!
gunnytank
Joined: February 24, 2006
KitMaker: 205 posts
Armorama: 200 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 03:23 PM UTC
Hey, all I can do is try. I remember a time when you couldn't get an M-46 model. If you wanted one, you scratch built it. I do realize what you guys are saying about the market. But what I asked was if anyone knew how that I could petition the model companies. 
toadman1
Vendor
Joined: July 20, 2004
KitMaker: 1,141 posts
Armorama: 950 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 04:34 PM UTC
Quoted Text
But what I asked was if anyone knew how that I could petition the model companies.
Well, that's easy. Just go to their websites and email them. Or, snail mail whatever model company you choose using the address on their respective kit boxes or websites.
Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures
gunnytank
Joined: February 24, 2006
KitMaker: 205 posts
Armorama: 200 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 05:05 PM UTC
Thank You.
"ON THE WAY!"
"ON THE WAY!"
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 07:14 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Does anyone know how I can petition one of the major model companies into making a model of this beast? The only one I know of is a resin kit by Commander model or something lke that.
I'd love to see one, too. Trouble is, it was a Cold War tank that never saw combat. Like its Soviet counterpart, the T-10, and the British Conqueror, it will probably never appear in styrene. The Korean War was at least a shooting war, and there is a little interest in the machines that fought there (though not nearly as much as World War Two attracts), so occasionally manufacturers will offer a Korean conflict vehicle like the M46.
The kits we do have for machines of the late 1950's are mostly molds that were tooled while the tanks were actually in service (even Italeri's M47 was offered while the Italian Army was still operating the tank). Occasionally, you'll have a new company that hasn't done much market research that will release an offbeat subject, but that doesn't last long--at least Trumpeter gave us a reasonable IS-3M before they discovered how well German subjects sold.
TankSGT
Joined: July 25, 2006
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 946 posts
Posted: Friday, August 31, 2007 - 03:56 AM UTC
I have been waiting for the AA M103 for a year and a half so far but I think its our best bet.. I built the Conqueror and need the 103 to sit next to it.
gunnytank
Joined: February 24, 2006
KitMaker: 205 posts
Armorama: 200 posts
Posted: Friday, August 31, 2007 - 05:29 AM UTC
SITREP as follows, I sent a letter suggesting two kits, the M103A2 and a AAVP7A1 with EEAK and RAMS/RS to both Academy and Tamiya. I included reasons for the two kits and the similar parts that could be used, etc. etc..... The M103, even though it never saw combat, they didn't get produced in large numbers and was so heavy tank that it would brake torsion bars setting on the tank ramp, is still the ONLY example of a U.S. heavy tank that went into production that I know of. It's 120mm gun and heavy armor, 65 tons, wasn't matched in the U.S. until the Abrams came along. Don't know if it will do any good but I feel beter for trying. Now I need to go find DML's address.
blaster76
Joined: September 15, 2002
KitMaker: 8,985 posts
Armorama: 3,034 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2007 - 07:36 AM UTC
Don:
I applaud your efforts. I would bet that Tamiya will circular file your request immediatly a they are pretty much bowing out of the 35th market. Academy is a good choice as they are such a small company. DML is your best bet as they are the ones that punched out that whole range of late M26 and M46 type tanks. I wold definitely pick one of these beasts up having lived in Fort KNox for so many years and passing the example at the west end of Wilson Road. I would love to also ad a Gamma-Goat and a fuel Goer to my collection as well.
Further note....I loved your pix of the M60a1 interior. Did you do the drivers compartment aswell? It would be cool to see some pix of that. I was a tank platoon leader in 76-79 we had the first editin of the RISE. Still had the big searchlights and OD paint when I took over. By the end we had gone to the first cammo paint and switched to the small searchlight and were just starting to install the smoke gernade launchers
I applaud your efforts. I would bet that Tamiya will circular file your request immediatly a they are pretty much bowing out of the 35th market. Academy is a good choice as they are such a small company. DML is your best bet as they are the ones that punched out that whole range of late M26 and M46 type tanks. I wold definitely pick one of these beasts up having lived in Fort KNox for so many years and passing the example at the west end of Wilson Road. I would love to also ad a Gamma-Goat and a fuel Goer to my collection as well.
Further note....I loved your pix of the M60a1 interior. Did you do the drivers compartment aswell? It would be cool to see some pix of that. I was a tank platoon leader in 76-79 we had the first editin of the RISE. Still had the big searchlights and OD paint when I took over. By the end we had gone to the first cammo paint and switched to the small searchlight and were just starting to install the smoke gernade launchers
Taylornic
Joined: January 10, 2005
KitMaker: 337 posts
Armorama: 332 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2007 - 09:37 AM UTC
Don,
Don't give up hope! The good ole "Asian Market Analysis" was applied to the slightest mention of a new US halftrack for years. Then, we got a M2 and a M4!
Since it was pointed out for years that there was no market for a new halftrack, in the all important Asian market, there must be one of two factors at work here....
1. The Asian Market isn't the control all force it's thought to be.
2. Dragon is such a nice bunch of guys, that they decided from the kindness of their plastic producing hearts, to give a handful of Westerners a Million Dollar Halftrack.
Seriously, I don't have all the answers, but the Asian Market Analysis doesn't provide all the answers either.
Goodluck with your petition!
Don't give up hope! The good ole "Asian Market Analysis" was applied to the slightest mention of a new US halftrack for years. Then, we got a M2 and a M4!
Since it was pointed out for years that there was no market for a new halftrack, in the all important Asian market, there must be one of two factors at work here....
1. The Asian Market isn't the control all force it's thought to be.
2. Dragon is such a nice bunch of guys, that they decided from the kindness of their plastic producing hearts, to give a handful of Westerners a Million Dollar Halftrack.
Seriously, I don't have all the answers, but the Asian Market Analysis doesn't provide all the answers either.
Goodluck with your petition!
gunnytank
Joined: February 24, 2006
KitMaker: 205 posts
Armorama: 200 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2007 - 09:39 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Don:
Further note....I loved your pix of the M60a1 interior. Did you do the drivers compartment aswell? It would be cool to see some pix of that.
Steve,
I haven't sent a letter to DML yet. I know someone that works at the Tamyia USA office, I sent it to her, she was going to hand deleiver it to the right person. Then it will get sent to Japan and probably trashed there, but at least I tried.
The pics of the Driver's compartment are the first two pics in my article. I started building this and then decieded to take pictures. Look real close and you can see the escape hatch under the driver's seat. I scribed the hatch out line then built the two handles and that three pronged hatch catch. It always came open and dropped the hatch if you didn't have it tied down and it would cost you a case of beer to get it back from the tank behind you that picked it up. Please don't go back and count the shell racks to either side of the driver's compartment, I don't think there was enough room for the right amount on each side and have them the right size.
Thanks for the compliment,
Don
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